Advice on Preparing for Adulthood

There are a variety of sources from whom you should expect help with Preparing for Adulthood, which you and your family should be thinking and planning for from when you are 14. It is important that you and your family and wider circle of support discuss and understand what your ideas and aspirations are for your adult life from when you are very young.

Staff at School Your teacher should talk to you about your aspirations and goals, especially when you are choosing courses at school. What would you like to do? Which courses will help you achieve your goals?

Leaving school/going to college/finding an apprenticeship, supported internship or setting up your own business.

ConnexionsConnexions Advisors in Wandsworth have a lot of information about services and support that young people can access to help them achieve their goals. A Connexions Advisor will usually be available to meet young people during Year 9.

Adult Care and Information Service (ACIS) ACIS has a wealth of information about services for young people and adults. It can help to guide you through the many services available to those people eligible for formal help from Adult Social Services and for those who are not. Their range of factsheets, including easy read versions of some, explain what support you can get and who is eligible.

As you turn 18 it is possible that your GP may need to become much more involved in your care and support. If you need ongoing medical support to achieve your goals it is worth discussing this with your GP well before your 18th birthday, as they may need to make referrals to community health services in advance.

Related Advice

HOT TOPIC! Get Set GO 3! Wednesday 28 February 2018Get Set GO 3 ! Next steps into Adulthood for young people, aged 14-25 with special needs and disabilities (SEND). This free event jointly organised by Wandsworth Council and South Thames College, with funding from Wandsworth Ambitions Careers Cluster, and support from Positive Parent Action was…

Just found out you have special educational needs or a disability? Or are you new to Wandsworth?Support and advice is available from: Contact, Wandsworth (0-19s) Support, advice, including help with claiming disability living allowance or personal independence payment, Disabled Children's Register (0-17s) Support, advice, activities, information. DASCAS (all ages) benefits information and help to claim, advocacy, support and advice. Family Information Service (0-18s) Signposting, advice,…

MENCAP's Easy Read Guides to the changes in SEND supportMENCAP have created two easy read guides to the changes in support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). One guide is for Parents and the other is for Young People. Can’t find what you are looking for? Contact us:…

Sex and Relationships Educationby Catherine Keevil, Disability Co-Ordinator I have been teaching Sex and Relationships to young people with learning disabilities for over twenty years. In that time I have learnt that no one session on a topic is the answer and that honesty and clear messages from…

Personal BudgetsPersonal budgets are available for support which is individual to the child or young person. They allow parents and young people more choice and control over the support they receive. Personal budgets (some of which can be taken as a direct payment) are available to…

The Preparing for Adulthood Review, A Good Practice ToolkitThis guide is a practical way to transfer statements of special educational needs and learning difficulty assessments (LDAs) to Education Health and Care plans (EHC plans). It was produced by Preparing for Adulthood and the Department of Education. The guide introduces the Preparing for Adulthood Review…

What you need to know about the SEND reforms-videoThis video from the Council for Disabled Children (CDC) gives a young person's point of view of the special education needs and disability (SEND) reforms. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yFlCILeE8KU?rel=0" frameborder="0" gesture="media" allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe> More information For advice or information about the SEND reforms you can call or email…